Remote control indicator



Sept 27, 1938. H. E. YOUNG REMOTE CONTROL INDICATOR Filed June 29, 1934 I MM Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES REMOTE CONTROL INDIQATOB Huh E. Young. Chicago. Ill.

Application'lune 29,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to remotely controlled indicators, and more particularly to those wherein the control is by electrical means.

One feature of this invention is that it provides an indicator which accurately follows the vmovement of a control device located a considerable distance therefrom; another feature of this invention is that it requires only two wires between the indicator and the control point; still another feature is that no sliding contacts or mechanical relays are necessary; yet another feature is that it is operated by phase relationships between two currents; other features and advantages of this invention will appear from the following specification and the drawing, which is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of this invention.

Electrical means for remotely controlling indicators have long been known, but these means have had many disadvantages. They required a multiplicity of wires; many of the common de- I vices requiring six wires between the indicator and the control plant. Other forms necessitated the same A.C. supply at the control point as was available at the indicator and some would operate only if this-AL, supply were a three-phase system. This invention derives all of its power from one transformer, having its primary attached to a single phase line, and has only two wires between the control point and the indicator. Moreover, since a relatively small current flows through these two wires there is very little heat loss, even when the control point is a mile or more distant. The device operates through changes in inductance, and consequently any line inductance introduced when the control point is a considerable distance from the indicator merely requires a slightly difierent initial setting of the indicator needle in order that it may correspond with the desired position at the proper point. i

In the particular embodiment illustrated herewith A.C. lines l0 and II supply the primary l2 of a transformer I3. The secondary M of this transformer has one end thereof connected to a resistance l5, and the other end thereof connected to the line it, which is one of the two lines which run to the control point. At the control point the line It connects to a variable inductance H, as for example a variometer or an inductance coil having a movable core therein. The return circuit is completed through the lead l8 back to the point i9. This point i9 has connected thereto a lead 20 from the resistance I5 and from this point IS a common return circuit 1934- Serial N0. 733.095

is provided through the primary 2! of the transflormer 22 to the center tap 23 of the secondary The secondary 24 of the transformer 22 supplies energy to thestator coils 25 of a power factor indicator. This power factor indicator has two movable coils mounted on a shaft at right angles to each other and follows the general practice in that these two coils are connected together at one end at the common point 26 from. which point a lead 21 runs to one of the supply lines It. The other ends of each of these movable coils 2! and 29 are connected together at the point 30, through the resistance 3| and the inductance 32. From the point 30 a lead 33 runs to the other supply line H. The shaft 34 on which the movable coils are rigidly mounted has at one end thereof a pointer 35 in combination with a dial 36 and indicia 31.

In operation the supply lines Ill and II put line current through the moving coils 28 and 29 by means of the leads 21 and 33. The stator coils 25, on the other hand, are supplied with current through the phase splitting circuit deriving its energy from the transformer l3. Variations in the relationship between the inductance branch 11 and the resistance branch l5 will result in a shift in the phase of the current running through the primary-2i to the center point 23 of the Y supply transformer. Since the stator coils 25 are fed from the secondary 24 of this transformer, the phase of the current through the stator coils can be as much as out of phase with that through the movable coils. Moreover, variation of the inductance I1 is sumcient to shift the phase of the voltage applied to the stators practically throughout the entire range of 180". Since the power factor meter operates as a result of phase differences between the various coils, it is easily seen that a variation in the phase of the current supplied to the stators will cause a movement of the coils 28 and 29, which movement will be transmitted through the shaft 34 to the pointer 35.

The device whose movements it is desired to indicate may be attached by any convenient mechanical means to the variable inductance l1, and the indicator dial 36 may be simply callbrated to read directly the motion of the device 5 device and thus very little loss is occasioned in lines it and il.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

What I claim as.,new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz

In means for indicating movement of a remote member, an alternating current supply circuit, a power factor meter having a movable coil and a stationary coil, one or said coils being connected alarms to'aaidaupplycircniitandavariablephaaeshiiting network also connected to said supply circuit and capable of producing a variable shift or voltage for substantially 180', the other coil of said meter'being connected to the-output of said network, the latter being arranged in an elec-' trical bridge circuit comprising a. supply transformer having a center tap and forming two equal arms of the bridge and two impedances having a diiference of approximately 90 in phase angle forming the" other two arms of the bridge, one of said impedances being variable responsive to movements of said member and controlling the amount of phase shift, the indication of said meter being obtained from the phase of the voltage.

HUGH E. YOUNG. 

